Stuttgart to see more commercial growth in 2013

Commercial growth is already a given for the year 2013 with three companies already in the process of expanding their present locations in Stuttgart.

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By Sarah Morris, smorris@stuttgartdailyleader.com

Stuttgart Daily Leader - Stuttgart, AR

By Sarah Morris, smorris@stuttgartdailyleader.com

Posted Jan. 29, 2013 at 12:22 PM
Updated Jan 29, 2013 at 12:35 PM

By Sarah Morris, smorris@stuttgartdailyleader.com

Posted Jan. 29, 2013 at 12:22 PM
Updated Jan 29, 2013 at 12:35 PM

Stuttgart, Ark.

Commercial growth is already a given for the year 2013 with three companies already in the process of expanding their present locations in Stuttgart.

AHTD area headquarters

The Arkansas State Highway and Transportation Department (AHTD) has officially settled in to its new area headquarters just north of Stuttgart.

District Engineer David Henning for AHTD’s District 2 said they accepted the completed project on Dec. 3 and the building’s 12 employees immediately moved in. It was an easy transition.

“The new building is fantastic. We have modern, more state-of-the-art equipment for fuel,” Henning said, adding that it also has better lighting and heating.

It was a step-up from the former building on Park Avenue, which was heavily damaged in the 2008 tornado. The new 40-foot-by-100-foot building is built on five acres of land on Arkansas Hwy. 165 across from Mack’s Prairie Wings.

A ribbon cutting is scheduled for 10 a.m. Wednesday. No new projects are scheduled for Arkansas County for 2013. Henning said AHTD would look at overlaying Hwy. 79B through Stuttgart within the next two years depending on the availability of funding and bridge projects are tentatively scheduled for 2015 and 2016.

Ag-Pro

A new facility of more than 50,000 square feet is in the works for Ag-Pro of Stuttgart. President Matthew Carlton said it is being built just next to its present location at 1554 Hwy. 79 S in Stuttgart.

Ag-Pro, formed in 1981, includes seven John Deere dealerships across central Arkansas — several of which have operated since the 1920s. The Ag-Pro Stuttgart location has 40 employees and the current facility is too small for the staff to work efficiently or for customers to have the privacy they deserve.

In addition to the lack of space for employees, Carlton said “the shop and parts department at the current facility is too small to properly serve the local customer base.” Site preparation is now underway for the new facility, which will include a combine shop nearly as large as a football field. Carlton said the No. 1 reason for the upgrade is “to provide superior service to the local customer base as we continue to grow the business.

“To my knowledge, we’ll have the most state-of-the-art facility in Arkansas. We will be prepared to serve our expanding customer base and the larger sized equipment used today,” he said.

The new facility should be completed by the end of the year with a grand opening to be scheduled.

Subway

An expansion for Stuttgart’s Subway is still in the planning stages.

Manager Verna Millerd said construction should start this year for a new restaurant just west of the present building at 301 W. 22nd St. The future Subway will be located on the corner of South Buerkle Street and West 22nd Street — just across from Stuttgart High School.

Page 2 of 2 - The new location is expected to include more parking, a drive-thru window, two different sandwich units and a lounge room with TVs for customers to come in early to drink coffee and catch up.

Subway has been in Stuttgart for at least 20 years, and under the ownership of Stuttgart native Derek MacKenzie for six years. It has 13 employees with more expected to be hired once the new location is open.

The restaurant is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Monday through Friday and 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.